Article

2022-02-25 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Clinton-era deal for surrender of Ukrainian nukes left nation prey to Russian aggression: Bolton

[JustTheNews] A "peace dividend" agreement that in 1994 removed nuclear weapons from Ukraine seemed sensible at the time, but now has left that country weakened against a belligerent Russia, a former top ranking U.S. security official said Thursday.

"The end of the Cold War meant there was no threat that we needed to worry about" and prompted the move to denuclearize Ukraine, said John Bolton, a former U.N. ambassador and national security adviser. "It was one of those agreements the Clinton administration reached in that period. Remember, it was the end of history."

The repercussions of that agreement are being felt today, he said.

"This is a wake-up call for us," Bolton said in an interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast. "And it's certainly a tragedy for the Ukrainian people. I think we're gonna see that over the next several days, a real tragedy."

The 1994 agreement, known as the Budapest Memorandum, was reached between the United States, Russia, and Britain, following the breakup of the Soviet Union. At the time, Ukraine possessed some 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads, comprising the world's third largest nuclear arsenal.

In an effort to reduce the number of countries that maintained nuclear arsenals, three nations — the U.S., Britain, and Russia — asked Ukraine to give up its nukes. In exchange, the three nations would "respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine" and "refrain from the threat or use of force" against it.

Ukraine relinquished the nukes. One country, Russia, did not sign the agreement.

Early Thursday morning, Russia launched a surprise invasion of Ukraine.

"It teaches us the lesson, that the way you achieve peace is through strength," Bolton said. "That's important. As Donald Rumsfeld used to say, strength is not provocative. Weakness is provocative."

Posted by Skidmark 2022-02-25 00:00|| || Front Page|| [14 views ] Top

#1 Never ever give up your nukes.
If you can get them, do for your own safety and sovereignty.
History shows there are no 'guarantees'.

Posted by Procopius2k 2022-02-25 08:09|| 2022-02-25 08:09|| Front Page Top

#2 A good rule to follow P2K. All the way down to small arms and the 2A. Look at what happens when the citizenry give up their weapons. Australia and Canada are just the latest examples.

Posted by Warthog 2022-02-25 08:42|| 2022-02-25 08:42|| Front Page Top

#3 I have always been amused by people who don't lock their car or house. Lots of people aren't up to having to actively protect their stuff.

Posted by M. Murcek 2022-02-25 08:45|| 2022-02-25 08:45|| Front Page Top

#4 If poor old drunken Yeltsin agreed to "respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine" and "refrain from the threat or use of force", he did so under duress and so the agreement is null and void. Bolton is the kind of war monger who, like McCain and Graham, can never refrain from meddling in the business of other people and countries. If they had left Ukraine and Russia to settle it for themselves they might not be in this mess today. Maybe it's a good thing that Brandon is so weak because a stronger president in the mold of Bolton or McCain would have US troops on the firing line today.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2022-02-25 10:42|| 2022-02-25 10:42|| Front Page Top

Posted by HillarysGhost2-25-22 2022-02-25 10:50|| 2022-02-25 10:50|| Front Page Top

#6 Keep this all in mind when the leftists are like, "Turn in your weapons, we will take care of you."

Who are all now, ironically, pounding the table that Ukrainian civilians should be armed.

Posted by swksvolFF 2022-02-25 12:13|| 2022-02-25 12:13|| Front Page Top

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